FAUCET VALVE WITH ANTI-SIPHON BACK FLOW PREVENTER

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to faucet valves and more particularly to faucet valves integrated with an anti-siphon back flow preventer.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Vacuum breaker mechanisms have long been associated with plumbing fixtures to prevent back flow conditions if per chance the water supply pressure becomes negative and the water supply outlet, commonly a hand-held spray spout, is simultaneously submerged in a basin of water. Commonly, the vacuum breaker is in-line with the water supply pipes. However, in-line vacuum breakers are disadvantageous in that their often bulky housing is difficult to conceal and, if they need replacement, require a major plumbing effort. One must break the supply line, remove the housing, replace the housing and reconnect the replacement to the supply lines. Also known from U.S.-A-3,056,418 is a faucet valve as defined in the precharacterizing part of claim 1, and a ball valve used in a faucet valve as defined in the precharacterizing part of claim 10.

[0003] Moreover, vacuum breakers to be effective against anti-siphoning need to be positioned above the sink top commonly referred to as the flood level. With modern plumbing, often the supply lines are concealed below the sink. As such, an extra supply line needs to be detoured above the flood level. Furthermore, the vacuum breaker housing is hard to conceal above the flood level and presents an unsightly appearance in contrast to an often elegant faucet.

[0004] What is needed is an anti-siphon breaker valve that can be incorporated into conventional faucet housings so that the air vent is positioned above the flood level and yet be concealed within the faucet. The faucet housing should also have no more openings thereto than a conventional housing. It is also desired to use a conventional valve system that includes supply inlets with valve seats therein and a rigid movable valve member which can selectively cover over the supply inlets to selectively close off or open the supply inlets to an outlet. Furthermore, it is desired to have an easily replaceable vacuum breaker valve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The above-mentioned problems are solved by a faucet valve as defined in claim 1. According to another aspect of the invention, the above-mentioned problems are solved by a ball valve being used in a faucet valve as defined in claim 10.

[0006] In accordance with the invention, a faucet valve includes a housing having a valve chamber, at least one supply inlet and a supply outlet in communication with the valve chamber. A rigid movable ball valve element is mounted within the valve chamber and is operably movable to selectively cover and uncover the supply inlets and to open and close communication to the supply outlet. Furthermore, the housing includes an auxiliary opening to the valve chamber in communication with a passage that extends through the movable valve element. The auxiliary opening and passage form an anti-siphon passageway. A one way check valve is mounted within the passageway to prevent fluid from passing from the supply inlets to and through the auxiliary opening.

[0007] Preferably, the rigidly movable ball valve element has a control stem that extends out through the auxiliary opening in the housing. The one way check valve acts in cooperation with the ball valve to prevent leakage through the auxiliary opening about the control stem.

[0008] Preferably, the passageway includes apertures which extend through the ball section of the ball valve. The apertures preferably are circumferentially spaced about the control stem and adjacent thereto. Furthermore, the control stem has a base section secured to the interior portion of the ball valve and the apertures extend through the base portion.

[0009] The check valve is preferably mounted within the ball valve. The check valve includes a disc section having an outer periphery sealingly and rigidly attached to the interior wall of the ball valve such that the apertures are located on one side of the ball valve and the valve ports of the ball valve are located on another side with respect to the disc section. The disc section has an aperture therethrough and an elastomeric resilient flap valve is mounted to normally cover the aperture through the disc section to prevent hydraulic fluid from the supply inlets from leaking through the valve ports and through the check valve to the apertures in the ball valve and through the auxiliary opening in the housing. Preferably, the disc section has a cylindrical wall downwardly extending from the disc section and a plastic annular disc having a central aperture is fitted at the lower end of the cylindrical wall below the flap valve to form a shield to reduce the chance that turbulence of the water flowing from the valve supply inlets through the valve ports in the ball valve and to the valve outlet will disturb the check valve.

[0010] In accordance with the aspects of the invention, a housing has a valve chamber and at least one supply inlet and a supply outlet in communication with the valve chamber. A valve assembly is fitted within the valve chamber and includes a rigid movable valve element for selectively covering and uncovering the supply inlets to open and close communication between the supply inlets and the supply outlet. The housing also includes an auxiliary opening to the valve chamber in communication with a passage through the valve assembly to form an anti-siphon air passageway. The one way check valve is mounted within the air passageway to prevent hydraulic fluid from passing from the supply inlets to the auxiliary opening. Furthermore, it is preferable that the rigid movable valve element is controlled by a control lever which extends through the auxiliary opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Reference now will be made to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 is a segmented side elevational view of a faucet with a faucet valve according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a segmented view of the faucet valve taken at right angles from the view shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an elevational cross-sectional view of the ball valve shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a bottom partially assembled view of the ball valve, and

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the ball valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0012] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a faucet or faucet valve 10 includes a faucet spout 12 and operable handle 13. The spout 12 is removably mounted to an escutcheon 14 which is mounted about a lower housing section 17 of housing 16. The faucet valve housing 16 has a valve chamber 18 with two supply inlets 20 and a supply outlet 22. The supply inlets are connected to supply pipes 24. The supply outlet 22 is connected to the spout 12 through a flexible tube 26. Within the valve chamber 18 is mounted a ball valve (ball valve element) 28.

[0013] As shown in more detail in Figures 4 and 6, the ball valve has a ball section 30 and a control stem 32. The ball section 30 comprises two halves 40 and 42 made from stainless steel. Ball half 42 has a plurality of valve ports 44 therethrough. The valve ports can be selectively aligned or misaligned with both supply inlets 20 and in communication with supply outlet 22 to selectively close or open the supply inlets to the supply outlet. When closed, the ball half 42 has its surface sealingly covering supply inlets. Ball half 40 has the control stem 32 rigidly secured thereto. The control stem 32 passes through an aperture 34 and has a larger base section 36 welded to the interior wall 38 of the ball section 30. A plurality of vent apertures 46 pass through ball half 40 and base 36 of stem 32.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ball valve is fitted in chamber 18 of the housing 16. The ball valve is positioned correctly by a positioning post 45 extending from section 17 and fitting in slot 47 in ball 30. A cap assembly 48 of the housing 16 includes an upper valve seat 50, a sealing ring 52, adjusting ring 54, and a screw cover 56 which screws on the external portion of the lower section 17. The valve housing 16 is conventional in structure and is presently in production and found in the Delta single handle kitchen faucet.

[0015] The cap assembly 48 forms an auxiliary opening 60 which receives control stem 32. The vent apertures 46 as shown in Figure 3 are circumferentially spaced about the control stem and are in communication with the auxiliary opening 60 and with the hollow interior 62 of the ball section 30 to form an anti-siphon air passageway 64.

[0016] The vent apertures 46 are adjacent the control stem 32 such that the vent apertures 46 are always in communication with the auxiliary opening 60 independent of the operable position of the control stem and to assure that the vent apertures 46 are in communication with the auxiliary opening 60 particularly when the control valve is in the open position.

[0017] Referring to Figures 4, 5 and 6, a check valve 66 is mounted within the hollow interior 62 to allow air to pass from the auxiliary opening 60 through the passageway 64 into the supply inlets 20 while preventing fluid from the supply inlets passing through to the auxiliary opening 60. The check valve includes a cup-shaped member 68 that has a disc section 70 sealingly welded at its periphery to the top half 40 of the ball valve 28. The disc section has a plurality of apertures 72 and a central mounting aperture 74. A central mounting aperture receives a stem 76 of flap valve 78. The flap valve 78 covers the aperture 72 to allow the flow as above described. The cup-shaped member 68 also has a cylindrical wall 80 surrounding the flap valve. The cylindrical wall has an annular groove 82 which can receive the annular plastic snap ring 84. The plastic snap ring has a central aperture 86. The snap ring 84 and cylindrical wall 80 form a shield for the flap valve to reduce turbulence from disturbing the flap valve 78 as fluid flows from the supply inlets 20 through the valve ports 44 and out through the supply outlet 22.

[0018] The ball valve 28 is assembled by having two halves 40 and 42 stamped. The control stem 32 is then passed through aperture 30 for the top half and welded and has its base section 36 welded in place. The vent apertures 46 are then drilled about the control stem 32. Cup-shaped member 68 is then welded in place in the top half 40 as shown in Figure 5. Flap valve 78 has a stem snap-fitted into the central mounting aperture 74. The snap ring 84 is then snapped in place and the lower half 42 is then welded to the top half in the appropriate position to form the complete ball valve 28. The ball valve is then mounted in the ball valve chamber in conventional fashion with the cap assembly 48 screwed onto the lower housing section 58. Conventional one way check valves, such as duck bill flap valves, are optionally placed in each supply pipe 24 to reduce vacuum pull through the ball valve 28.

[0019] In operation, the ball valve 28 operates as a conventional ball valve by selectively being operable via the valve handle 13. The valve ports 44 can be selectively positioned to either cover or uncover both supply inlets to control volume and the mix from both inlets passing through the lower half 88 of the hollow interior 62 and then out through an additional valve port 44 and through the supply outlet 22.

[0020] If per chance there is a negative pressure in the supply inlets and the valve is turned on, the negative pressure will open the flap valve 78 such that air can pass through the passageway 64 formed by the auxiliary opening 60, the top half 90 of the hollow interior 62 to the lower half 88 of the hollow interior 62, and through the valve ports 44 to the supply inlets 20. Furthermore, if there is a slight vacuum pressure still exerted on supply outlet 22, the height of the supply outlet 22 is significantly higher than the flood plane indicated at 92 so that the risk of having any water being siphoned back through the supply outlet is reduced significantly.

[0021] If the ball valve 28 needs replacing, it can be replaced in the conventional fashion by merely removing handle 13 from the control stem 32 and unscrewing the cap assembly 48 after the water supply has been shut off. The ball valve 28 can then be removed and replaced by a new ball valve 28 with the cap assembly 48 secured back onto the lower housing section 58 and the handle 13 secured to the control stem 32.

[0022] In this fashion, a faucet spout that requires a vacuum breaker can incorporate the vacuum breaker in the conventional housing with no changes in the escutcheon or increased size of the valve housing 16. Furthermore, the position of the vacuum breaker is sufficiently high to reduce the risk of back siphoning and is easily replaceable by merely replacing the ball valve element 28. Furthermore, the vacuum breaker is sealed against leakage. Furthermore, the vacuum breaker passageway is formed with no additional openings into the valve housing because the opening that receives the control stem functions additionally as part of the air passageway into the valve housing chamber.

Claims

1. Faucet valve (10) comprising a housing (16) having a valve chamber (18) and at least one supply inlet (20) and a supply outlet (22), a rigid movable ball valve element (28) within said valve chamber (18) operably movable to selectively cover and uncover said at least one supply inlet (20) and closing and opening communication to said supply outlet (22), characterized in that said housing (16) includes an auxiliary opening (60) to said valve chamber (18) in communication with a passage (62) through said ball valve element (28) forming an anti-siphon air passageway (64), said auxiliary opening (60) being independent of said supply outlet (22), and in that it comprises a one way check valve (66) mounted within said air passageway (64) to prevent fluid from said at least one supply inlet (20) from exiting said auxiliary opening (60) but allowing air to enter said air passageway (64) and bypassing said supply outlet (22), said ball valve element (28) having valve port means (44) and at least one aperture (46) forming said passage (62) and communicating with said opening (60), said disc section (70) being attached to an interior wall of said ball valve element (28) with said aperture (46) on one side and said valve port means (44) on another side of said ball valve element (28) with respect to said disc section (70).

2. Faucet valve according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a seal (52) operably mounted between said ball valve element (28) and said housing (16) to prevent fluid from said valve chamber (18) from flowing between said ball valve element (28) and housing (16) to said opening (60).

3. Faucet valve according to claim 1, characterized in that said check valve (66) includes a disc section (70) having an outer periphery sealingly and rigidly attached to an interior wall of said valve element (28).

4. Faucet valve according to claim 3, characterized in that said disc section (70) has aperture means (72) formed therein, and in that it further comprises at least one flap valve (78) mounted to normally cover said aperture means (72) and to prevent hydraulic fluid from said inlet (20) from leaking therethrough and to said aperture (46) in said ball valve element (28) and said opening (60) in said housing (16).

5. Faucet valve according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises at least one shield defined by a cylindrical wall (80) extending downwardly from said disc section (70), whereby to reduce exposure of said flap valve (78) from turbulence of said fluid from said at least one supply inlet (20) flowing through said valve port means (44) and to said supply outlet (22).

6. Faucet valve according to claim 5, characterized in that said shield further comprises an annular disc (84) having at least one central aperture (86) formed therein and being attached to the lower end of said cylindrical wall (80) below said flap valve (78).

7. Faucet valve according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that said ball valve element (28) comprises at least one control stem (32) having a base portion (36) affixed to an interior wall (38) of the ball section (30) defined by the ball valve element (28).

8. Faucet valve according to claims 1 or 4 and 7, characterized in that said at least one aperture comprises a plurality of apertures (46) spaced circumferentially about said control stem (32) and adjacent thereto, said apertures (46) extending through said base portion (36) of said control stem (32) and through said ball section (30) of said ball valve element (28).

9. Faucet valve according to one or more of the preceding claims wherein said at least one supply inlet (20) comprises two supply inlets for hot and cold water respectively, and preferably wherein said flap valve (78) is made of resilient elastomeric material.

10. A ball valve element (28) being used in a faucet valve (10) as defined in any of the preceding claims, said ball valve element (28) comprising a ball section (30) having valve ports (44) therethrough, and a control stem (32) extending from said ball section (30), characterized in that said ball section (30) is hollow and has at least one vent aperture (46) extending therethrough, a check valve (66) being mounted within said ball section (30) and dividing the interior (62) into a first and second portion (88, 90) with said valve ports (44) at said first portion (88) and said at least one vent aperture (46) at said second portion (90), said check valve (66) being operably constructed to allow flow only from said second (90) to said first (88) portion.

11. A ball valve according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of vent apertures (46) circumferentially spaced about said control stem (32).

12. A ball valve according to claim 10 characterized in that said control stem (32) has a base portion (36) affixed to the interior wall (38) of said ball section (30), and in that said vent apertures (46) are circumferentially spaced about said stem (32) adjacent to said base portion (36), said apertures (46) extending through said base portion (36) and said ball section (30).

13. A ball valve according to claim 10, characterized in that said check valve (66) includes a disc section (70) having an outer periphery sealingly and rigidly attached to an interior wall (38) of said ball valve element with said apertures (46) on one side and said valve ports (44) on another side of said ball valve element (28) with respect to said disc section (70), said disc section (70) having an aperture means (72) formed therethrough, said ball valve element (28) further comprising an elastomeric resilient flap valve (78) mounted to normally cover said aperture means (72) through said disc section (70), and a shield (68) mounted about said flap valve (78) to reduce exposure of said flap valve (78) from any turbulence of said fluid flowing through said first portion (88) of said ball interior.

14. A ball valve according to claim 13, characterized in that said shield (68) includes a cylindrical wall (80) downwardly extending from said disc section (70) and surrounding said flap valve (78), and a plastic ring (84) having a central aperture (86) fitted at the lower end of said cylindrical wall (80) below said flap valve (78).

15. A ball valve according to claim 13, characterized in that said ball section (30) includes a first stamped half (40) including said at least one vent aperture (46) and said stem (32) secured thereto, said disc section (70) being welded to said first half (40), a second stamped half (42) having said valve ports (44) and being welded to said first half (40).

16. A ball valve according to claim 15, wherein said first and second halves (40, 42) are made from stainless steel.

Ansprüche

1. Absperrventil (10) mit einem Gehäuse (16), das eine Ventilkammer (18) und wenigstens eine Einlaßöffnung (20) und eine Auslaßöffnung (22) aufweist, mit einem starren, beweglichen Ballventilelement (28) innerhalb der Ventilkammer (18), welche bedienbar beweglich zum selektiven Bedecken und Nichtbedecken der wenigstens einen Einlaßöffnung (20) und zum Schließen und Öffnen der Verbindung zu der Auslaßöffnung (22) ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Gehäuse (16) eine Zusatzöffnung (60) zu der Ventilkammer (18) in Verbindung mit einem Durchlaß (62) durch das Ballventil (28) aufweist, die einen Anti-Syphon-Luftdurchtrittsweg (64) bildet, wobei die Zusatzöffnung (60) unabhängig von der Auslaßöffnung (22) ist, und daß es ein Einwegkontrollventil (66) aufweist, das innerhalb des Luftdurchtrittsweges (64) angeordnet ist, um zu verhindern, daß ein Fluid aus der wenigstens einen Einlaßöffnung (20) aus der Zusatzöffnung (60) austritt, welches aber einen Lufteintritt durch den Luftdurchtrittsweg (64) und einen Bypass der Auslaßöffnung (22) erlaubt, wobei das Ballventilelement (28) Durchgangsmittel (44) und wenigstens eine Öffnung (46) aufweist, die den Durchlaß (62) bilden und mit der Öffnung (60) in Verbindung stehen, wobei ein Scheibenbereich (70) an einer inneren Wand des Ballventilelementes (28) mit der Öffnung (46) auf einer Seite und den Durchgangsmitteln (44) auf einer anderen Seite des Ballventilelementes (28) in bezug auf den Scheibenbereich (70) angebracht ist.

2. Absperrventil nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß es eine Dichtung (52) aufweist, die bedienbar zwischen dem Ballventilelement (28) und dem Gehäuse (16) angeordnet ist, um zu verhindern, daß ein Fluid aus der Ventilkammer (18) zwischen das Ballventil (28) und das Gehäuse (16) zu der Öffnung (60) fließt.

3. Absperrventil. nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Kontrollventil (66) einen Scheibenbereich (70) aufweist, welcher einen äußeren Umfang hat, der dicht und fest an der inneren Wand des Ventilelementes (28) angebracht ist.

4. Absperrventil nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Scheibenbereich (70) in diesem ausgebildete Öffnungsmittel (72) aufweist, und daß es außerdem wenigstens ein Flügelventil (78) aufweist, das angeordnet ist, um normalerweise die Öffnungsmittel (72) abzudecken und um zu verhindern, daß ein hydraulisches Fluid aus der Einlaßöffnung (20) durch diese und die Öffnung (46) in dem Ballventilelement (28) und die Öffnung (60) in dem Gehäuse (19) austritt.

5. Absperrventil nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß es außerdem wenigstens einen durch eine zylindrische Wand (80) begrenzten Schild aufweist, der sich abwärts von dem Scheibenbereich (70) erstreckt, um eine Beaufschlagung des Flügelventils (78) mit der Turbulenz des Fluids aus der wenigstens einen Einlaßöffnung (20), das durch die Ventilöffnungsmittel (44) und zu der Auslaßöffnung (22) fließt, zu verringern.

6. Absperrventil nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Schirm außerdem eine ringförmige Scheibe (84) aufweist, die wenigstens eine darin ausgebildete zentrale Öffnung (86) aufweist und am unteren Ende der zylindrischen Wand (80) unterhalb des Flügelventils (78) angebracht ist.

7. Absperrventil nach Anspruch 1, 2, 3, 4 oder 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Ballventilelement (28) wenigstens einen Steuerkolben (32) mit einem Basisbereich (36) aufweist, der an der durch das Ballventilelement (28) begrenzten inneren Wand (38) des Ballbereiches (30) befestigt ist.

8. Absperrventil nach Anspruch 1 oder 4 und 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die wenigstens eine Öffnung eine Mehrzahl von Öffnungen (46) aufweist, die umfänglich um den Steuerkolben (32) und benachbart dazu angeordnet sind, wobei die Öffnungen (46) sich durch den Basisbereich (36) des Steuerkolbens (32) und den Ballbereich (30) des Ballventilelementes (28) erstrecken.

9. Absperrventil nach einem oder mehreren der vorangegangenen Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die wenigstens eine Einlaßöffnung (20) zwei Einlässe für heißes bzw. kaltes Wasser aufweist und daß vorzugsweise das Flügelventil (78) aus federndem elastomeren Material besteht.

10. Ballventilelement (28) zur Verwendung in einem Absperrventil (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Ballventilelement (28) einen Ballbereich (30) mit Ventilöffnungen (44) dadurch und einen sich von dem Ballbereich (30) erstreckenden Steuerkolben (32) aufweist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Ballbereich (30) hohl ist und wenigstens eine sich dadurch erstreckende Lüftungsöffnung (46) aufweist, wobei ein Kontrollventil (66) innerhalb des Ballbereiches (30) angeordnet ist und das Innere (62) in einen ersten und zweiten Bereich (88,90) mit den Ventilöffnungen (44) im ersten Bereich (88) und der wenigstens einen Lüftungsöffnung (46) im zweiten Bereich (90) teilt, wobei das Kontrollventil (66) bedienbar so ausgebildet ist, daß es einen Fluß nur vom zweiten (90) zum ersten (88) Bereich erlaubt.

11. Ballventil nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß es eine Mehrzahl von Lüftungsöffnungen (46) aufweist, die umfänglich um den Steuerkolben (32) angeordnet sind.

12. Ballventil nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Steuerkolben (32) einen Basisbereich (36) aufweist, der an der inneren Wand (38) des Ballbereiches (30) befestigt ist, und daß die Lüftungsöffnungen (46) umfänglich um den Kolben (32) benachbart zum Basisbereich (36) angeordnet sind, wobei die Öffnungen (46) sich durch den Basisbereich (36) und den Ballbereich (30) erstrecken.

13. Ballventil nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Kontrollventil (66) einen Scheibenbereich (70) aufweist, der einen dicht und fest an der inneren Wand (38) des Ballventilelementes angebrachten Umfang mit den Öffnungen (46) auf einer Seite und den Ventilöffnungen (44) auf der anderen Seite des Ballventilelementes (28) in bezug auf den Scheibenbereich (70) aufweist, wobei der Scheibenbereich (70) durch diesen hindurch ausgebildete Öffnungsmittel (72) aufweist, wobei das Ballventilelement (28) außerdem ein elastomeres federndes Flügelventil (78), das zum normalerweisen Abdecken der Öffnungsmittel (72) durch den Scheibenbereich (70) angeordnet ist, und einen Schirm (68) aufweist, der um das Flügelventil (78) herum angeordnet ist, um eine Beaufschlagung des Flügelventils (78) mit irgendeiner Turbulenz des durch den ersten Bereich (88) des Ballinnenraums hindurchtretenden Fluids zu verringern.

14. Ballventil nach Anspruch 13, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Schirm (68) eine zylindrische Wand (80), die sich abwärts von dem Scheibenbereich (70) erstreckt und das Flügelventil (78) umgibt, und einen Plastikring (84) mit einer zentralen Öffnung (86) aufweist, der am unteren Ende der zylindrischen Wand (80) unterhalb des Flügelventils (78) eingepaßt ist.

15. Ballventil nach Anspruch 13, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Ballbereich (30) eine erste gepreßte Hälfte (40), die die wenigstens eine Lüftungsöffnung (46) aufweist und an der der kolben (32) gesichert ist, wobei der Scheibenbereich (70) an der ersten Hälfte (40) angeschweißt ist, und eine zweite gepreßte Hälfte (42) aufweist, die die Ventilöffnungen (44) aufweist und an der ersten Hälfte (40) angeschweißt ist.

16. Ballventil nach Anspruch 15, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die erste und zweite Hälfte (40,42) aus nichtrostendem Stahl bestehen.

Revendications

1. Robinet (10) comprenant un boîtier (16) ayant une chambre de vanne (18) et au moins une entrée d'alimentation (20) et une sortie d'alimentation (22), un élément de vanne à sphère rigide mobile (28) disposé dans ladite chambre de vanne (18) pouvant être déplacé sélectivement pour couvrir et découvrir ladite au moins une entrée d'alimentation (20) et couper et rétablir la communication vers ladite sortie d'alimentation (22), caractérisé en ce que ledit boîtier (16) comprend un orifice auxiliaire (60) s'ouvrant vers ladite chambre de vanne (18) et communiquant avec un passage (62) à travers ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28) pour former un chemin d'air anti-siphon (64), ledit orifice auxiliaire (60) étant indépendant de ladite sortie d'alimentation (22), et en ce qu'il comprend une soupape d'arrêt unidirectionnelle (66) montée dans ledit chemin d'air (64) pour empêcher du fluide provenant de ladite au moins une entrée d'alimentation (20) de sortir dudit orifice auxiliaire (60) mais permettant à de l'air d'entrer dans ledit chemin d'air (64) en court-circuitant ladite sortie d'alimentation (22), ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28) comprenant des moyens d'accès de vanne (44) et au moins une ouverture (46) formant ledit passage (62) et communiquant avec ledit orifice (60), un disque (70) étant fixé à une paroi interne dudit élément de vanne à sphère (28), ladite ouverture (46) étant d'un côté et lesdits moyens d'accès de vanne (44) de l'autre côté dudit élément de vanne à sphère (28) par rapport au disque (70).

2. Robinet selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend un joint (52) monté entre ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28) et ledit boîtier (16) pour empêcher du fluide provenant de ladite chambre de vanne (18) de s'écouler entre ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28) et le boîtier (16) vers ledit orifice (60).

3. Robinet selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ladite soupape d'arrêt (66) comprend un disque (70) dont la périphérie est fixée de façon étanche et rigide à une paroi interne dudit élément de vanne à sphère (28).

4. Robinet selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que le disque (70) comprend des moyens d'ouverture (72), et en ce que il comprend en outre une soupape à membrane (78) montée pour normalement couvrir lesdits moyens d'ouverture (72) et pour empêcher du fluide hydraulique de fuir à travers les moyens d'ouverture et vers ladite ouverture (46) dans ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28) et vers ledit orifice (60) dans ledit boîtier (16).

5. Robinet selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre au moins un écran défini par une paroi cylindrique (80) s'étendant vers le bas dudit disque (70), afin de réduire l'exposition de ladite soupape à membrane (78) à la turbulence dudit fluide provenant de ladite au moins une entrée d'alimentation (20) s'écoulant à travers lesdits moyens d'accès de vanne (44) et vers ladite sortie d'alimentation (22).

6. Robinet selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que ledit écran comprend en outre un disque annulaire (84) ayant au moins une ouverture centrale (86) et étant fixé à l'extrémité inférieure de ladite paroi cylindrique (80) sous ladite soupape à membrane (78).

7. Robinet selon la revendication 1, 2, 3, 4 ou 5, caractérisé en ce que ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28) comprend au moins une tige de commande (32) ayant une base (36) solidaire d'une paroi intérieure (38) de la section de sphère (30) définie par ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28).

8. Robinet selon les revendications 1 ou 4 et 7, caractérisé en ce que ladite au moins une ouverture comprend une pluralité d'ouvertures (46) espacées circonférentiellement autour de ladite tige de commande (32) et adjacentes à cette tige, lesdites ouvertures (46) s'étendant à travers ladite base (36) de ladite tige de commande (32) et à travers ladite section de sphère (30) dudit élément de vanne à sphère (28).

9. Robinet selon l'une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ladite au moins une entrée d'alimentation (20) comprend deux entrées d'alimentation pour de l'eau froide et chaude respectivement, et dans lequel, de préférence, ladite soupape à membrane (78) est faite en matériau élastomère élastique.

10. Elément de vanne à sphère (28) utilisé dans un robinet (10) tel que défini dans l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28) comprenant une section de sphère (30) ayant des accès de vanne (44) la traversant, et une tige de commande (32) s'étendant à partir de ladite section de sphère (30), caractérisé en ce que la section de sphère (30) est creuse et comprend au moins une ouverture de soupape (46), une soupape d'arrêt (66) étant montée à l'intérieur de ladite section de sphère (30) et divisant l'intérieur (62) en une première et une deuxième partie (88, 90), lesdits accès de vanne (44) étant dans la première partie (88) et ladite au moins une ouverture de soupape (46) étant dans la deuxième partie (90), ladite soupape d'arrêt (66) étant construite pour permettre seulement un écoulement de ladite deuxième partie (90) vers ladite première partie (88).

11. Vanne à sphère selon la revendication 10, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend une pluralité d'ouvertures de soupape (46) circonférentiellement espacées autour de ladite tige de commande (32).

12. Vanne à sphère selon la revendication 10, caractérisée en ce que ladite tige de commande (32) comprend une base (36) solidaire de la paroi intérieure (38) de ladite section de sphère (30), et en ce que lesdites ouvertures de soupape (46) sont circonférentiellement espacées autour de ladite tige (32) et adjacentes à ladite base (36), lesdites ouvertures (46) s'étendant à travers ladite base (36) et ladite section de sphère (30).

13. Vanne à sphère selon la revendication 10, caractérisée en ce que ladite soupape d'arrêt (66) comprend un disque (70) dont la périphérie est fixée de manière étanche et rigide à une paroi intérieure (38) dudit élément de vanne à sphère, lesdites ouvertures (46) étant d'un côté et lesdits accès de vanne (44) de l'autre côté dudit élément de vanne à sphère (28) par rapport audit disque (70), ledit disque (70) comprenant des moyens d'ouverture (72), ledit élément de vanne à sphère (28) comprenant en outre une soupape à membrane élastomère élastique montée pour normalement couvrir lesdits moyens d'ouverture (72) à travers ledit disque (70), et un écran (68) monté autour de la soupape à membrane (78) pour réduire l'exposition de ladite soupape à membrane (78) à toute turbulence dudit fluide s'écoulant à travers ladite première partie (88) dudit intérieur de sphère.

14. Vanne à sphère selon la revendication 13, caractérisée en ce que ledit écran (68) comprend une paroi cylindrique (80) s'étendant vers le bas à partir dudit disque (70) et entourant ladite soupape à membrane (78), et un anneau plastique (84) ayant une ouverture centrale (86) et ajusté à l'extrémité inférieure de ladite paroi cylindrique (80) sous ladite soupape à membrane (78).

15. Vanne à sphère selon la revendication (13), caractérisée en ce que ladite section de sphère (30) comprend une première moitié matricée (40) comprenant ladite au moins une ouverture de soupape (46) et ladite tige (32) qui y est fixée, ledit disque (70) étant soudé à ladite première moitié (40), une deuxième moitié matricée (42) comprenant lesdits accès (44) et étant soudé à la première moitié (40).

16. Vanne à sphère selon la revendication (15), dans laquelle lesdites première et deuxième moitiés (40, 42) sont en acier inoxydable.

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